Billionaire Is Devoting $100 Million to Curbing Drug Prices: Daily News Roundup
Former energy trader John Arnold’s focus on bringing down high prices has the drug industry rattled. In other articles, San Francisco’s tech leaders are in an uproar over a tax proposal to help the homeless; and at the Harvard admissions trial, emails were presented as evidence that the university favors people related to or of interest to big donors. Plus, additional news and features about sexual abuse at nonprofits, philanthropy under scrutiny, and more.
Nonprofits and Foundations Are Slow to Take Up E-Filing of Public Tax Documents
One third still choose paper tax returns over e-filing, IRS records show. Critics say transparency suffers as a result.
By Alex Daniels and Peter Olsen-Phillips
Charities Again Holding Galas at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago: Daily News Roundup
A few charities that stopped holding galas at the Florida resort last year due to the president’s controversial comments are planning events there this winter. Plus, legal experts say the Heritage Foundation’s efforts to train and influence law clerks raises ethical issues; two New York museums say they will not use Saudi money for programs on Middle Eastern art; Chinese-Americans are gaining prominence as U.S. donors; and more news and articles on giving, ideas and innovation, and obituaries.
Nonprofits Decry Latest Proposed Postal-Rate Increases
Some charities balked at a proposed 10 percent hike in the cost of a first-class stamp, saying they still rely heavily on mailings and that online revenue remains a small slice of their fundraising.
By Julian Wyllie
Contributor
Elaborate Scam Aimed at Women’s March: Daily News Roundup
The fake events posted on Facebook to exploit people’s interest in politics and protests originated in Bangladesh. In other articles, Opportunity Zones give the rich a way to get tax breaks for spending money in low-income areas; new data show how orchestras are segregated by gender; three George O’Keeffe paintings deaccessioned by the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, N.M., could fetch $30 million at auction; and more about big donors and ideas and innovation.
NPR Hires Top News Executive: Daily News Roundup
Nancy Barnes, executive editor at the Houston Chronicle, will take over a year after Michael Oreskes stepped down over allegations of sexual harassment. Plus, bitcoin donations are puzzling to colleges; candidates for the University of Michigan Board of Regents are proposing plans to make the handling of endowment investments more transparent; data show that disaster aid in Houston didn’t go to people who most needed it; and more news and ideas, plus articles about Paul Allen’s legacy.
‘More Than Me’ CEO Leaves Her Post Temporarily After ProPublica Exposé: Daily News Roundup
The group’s board chairman has also stepped down. and several other investigations of the nonprofit are ongoing. Plus, George Mason University’s review of philanthropic giving and donor influence is finished, but the institution still has issues to resolve; a look at Priscilla Chan’s ambitious philanthropic plans; the #MeToo movement’s founder is trying to move beyond trauma; Jeff Bezos discusses charity versus government; and much more about people, innovation, and presidential politics.
Harvard Gets $100 Million for Sciences and Math: Daily News Roundup
Part of the donation will be in the form of unrestricted money for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Plus, the Salesforce and Twitter chiefs are sparring over a San Francisco ballot measure to help the homeless; leading researches at Sloan Kettering Cancer Center have disclosed relationships with health-care companies that they had not previously disclosed; a Hong Kong movie star says he will give most of his $714 million fortune to charity; and more about innovation, people, and the arts.
Will New Tax-Law Policy Help Needy Communities or Luxury Condo Developers?
Foundations and nonprofit leaders are trying to make sure that Opportunity Zone investments go to smart projects that help low-income people, but some experts worry they may not have enough leverage.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
Zuckerberg Tried to Revamp Education, but One Conn. Town Wasn’t Happy: Daily News Roundup
Some liked the program, some hated it, and some parents worried their kids’ data was being shared. Plus, the Lilly Endowment is giving $125 million to Indiana community foundations; an atheist nonprofit has sued the IRS, saying that its tax exemption was revoked unfairly; a University of Virginia affiliate that promotes civil dialogue is confronting incidents of sexism and cultural insensitivity within its ranks; and more about ideas and innovation, opinion, cultural groups, and leadership.
Council on Foundations’ New CEO Is Advocate for Giving Nonprofits More Power
Kathleen Enright wants to pursue close relationships with other groups, such as Independent Sector and the Philanthropy Roundtable.
By Alex Daniels
Senior Editor, Foundations
Michelle Obama Starts Program to Help Adolescent Girls Through Education: Daily News Roundup
The Global Girls Alliance will be part of the Obama Foundation and will support 1,500 grassroots groups and form a network. In other articles, some of the girls that an American charity was supposed to save from sexual exploitation in Liberia were allegedly abused by a “co-founder” of the organization; a nonprofit whose mission is to help pay for veterans’ funerals is being investigated for alleged money laundering and wire fraud; plus other news, as well as articles on ideas and innovation.
Judge Says Fired Executive Who Sued Gates Foundation Is Entitled to $4.9 Million: Daily News Roundup
The former chief digital officer said he had been terminated after clashing with officials who disagreed with his vision. In other articles, the Illinois governor’s foundation has invested in offshore holdings; an IRS report says the agency needs to be more vigilant in its monitoring of nonprofit political activities; a growing number of big grant makers are using competitions to decide what groups to support; and more about the environment, cultural groups, and ideas and innovation.
Gifts Made Through Amazon Smile Supported Islamic Extremist Group: Daily News Roundup
At least two of the nonprofits eligible through the program for contributions from shoppers are linked to a controversial imam. In other articles: Business Insider examines the new Gates Foundation education effort; three senior leaders of an evangelical-funded Israeli charity are stepping down at the same time; a cryptocurrency group gives all of its coin listings to charity; and more about big donors and ideas and innovation.
Philanthropy Infrastructure Groups Drew $1.9 Billion in Support, Study Says
Grants to groups like Independent Sector and the Council on Foundations, regional grant-making networks, and research organizations grew 7 percent from 2013 to 2015, to $192 million annually.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
Proposed Hospital Merger Could Be One of the Largest: Daily News Roundup
If Memorial Hermann Health System merges with Baylor, Scott & White, it would create the nation’s fifth largest health-care provider. In other articles, a gift from Elon Musk’s foundation will go toward installing ultraviolet water filtration systems to drinking fountains in Flint, Mich., schools; a fired comptroller has filed a lawsuit claiming “illegal” and “fraudulent” financial activity at a Philadelphia museum; and more news. Plus, articles on trouble in the arts.